WORKING parents in England can get help from the government paying for childcare – but who is eligible, and how do you apply?
Free childcare hours were first introduced in 2010 and have since been extended.
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Through the scheme, You can get help paying for childcare for three and four-year-olds.
It was originally confined to his spring budget last year when Chancellor Jeremy Hunt committed to extending the scheme.
However, the scheme’s expansion comes in stages, and some will get help before others.
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Up to 30 hours of free childcare will also become available for parents with children of the same age, but not until 2025.
But who is eligible for free childcare, and how do you apply for it?
Here’s everything you need to know.
Who is eligible for free childcare scheme?
The scheme is available to working parents in England with three and four-year-old children.
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Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own schemes.
You can get 15 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year (during school term time) for children ages between three and four.
But you have to be getting childcare from an approved provider, and the help stops when your child starts in reception at school.
Depending on circumstances, some parents can get up to 30 hours of free childcare.
You can get free childcare hours at the same time as claiming Universal Credit, tax credits, childcare vouchers or tax-free childcare.
Some parents can also get free childcare hours for two-year-olds.
You can get help in this instance if you live in England and are on certain benefits, including:
- Income Support
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA)
- Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit and your household income is £15,400 a year or less after tax, not including benefit payments
- the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child tax credit, working tax credit (or both), and your household income is £16,190 a year or less before tax
Two-year-olds can also get free childcare if they are looked after by a local authority, have an education, health and care plan, get disability living allowance or have left care under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order.
To be eligible for 30 hours of free childcare, you must earn a certain amount each week – equal to 16 hours a week on average at the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage.
Parents aged 23 or over will have to expect to earn at least £1,976 over the next three months.
For those aged 21 and 22 they will have to expect to earn at least £1,909.
If you are 18 to 20 you will have to expect to earn £1,420 and if you are under 18 or an apprentice this figure is £1,000.
If you or your partner have an expected “adjusted net income” over £100,000 in the current tax year, you will not be eligible.
An adjusted net income is your total taxable income before any Personal Allowances and certain tax reliefs, including trading losses, donations made to charities and pension contributions.
For more information, you can visit the Government’s website.
You can also get 30 hours free childcare if you and your partner (if you have one) are on sick or annual leave or shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave.
You may still be eligible if your partner is working and you are not and receiving any one of the following benefits:
- Incapacity benefit
- Severe disablement allowance
- Carer’s allowance
- Limited capability for work benefit
- contribution-based employment and support allowance
You can use an average of how much you expect to earn over the current tax year if you work throughout the year but do not get paid regularly, and if you’re self-employed and do not expect to earn enough in the next three months.
You won’t be eligible for 30 hours free childcare if your child does not usually live with you.
If you foster a child, you will be eligible but must apply through your social worker or local authority.
You need a National Insurance number to be eligible for the scheme, as does your partner if you have one.
Plus, you will need to be a British or Irish citizen, have settled or pre-settled status, have applied and are waiting for a decision, and have permission to access public funds.
Your UK residence card will tell you if you don’t have access to public funds.
But 15 hours free childcare will soon become available for parents with children between nine months and two years old.
What’s changing?
From April 2024, working parents of two-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours of free childcare per week.
This will be extended to working parents of nine-month-olds to two-year-olds from September 2024.
And from September 2025, working parents with children nine months and two years old will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week if they meet certain eligibility criteria.
How can I apply if I live in England?
You can apply for 15 hours free childcare through your childcare provider or local council.
You can apply for 30 hours free childcare from when your child is two years and 36 weeks old.
But depending on when that is, you will start receiving the free childcare help from different dates.
For example, if your child turns three between September 1 and December 31, you can start getting free childcare on or after January 1.
In this instance, the government’s website says the best time to apply would be between October 15 and November 30.
Once you have applied for a childcare account, you get a code to give your provider.
You can apply outside the recommended government times, but you might not get a code in time to get help as early as possible.
You should check with your childcare provider to find out the exact date your 30 hours of free childcare will start.
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Crucially, you have to reconfirm your eligibility every three months.
To apply, visit Gov.UK.
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